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My ? is what are they. And how do they get picked.
Is it the coaches(BA), HS or the good old boys?
Because the group around here have got the magical letters.
And the chosen have started talking about.
Some are happy and some feelings are hurt
It's been fun hearing all the trash going around.
Do they only pick from one district or ?

First, the requirement from my understanding is invites go to Bantam A and above players only. They are chosen by the BA coach. In general, a coach is given a number of slots based on how they did in their district league games. The good news is there is kind of a 'minimum' number per district invited to try out AND it is a bit of a money maker SO ... as long as your player was Bantam A or above you should get an invite.

First you go to district tryout/then they[the coach] take that team to a tourny. Then they take a team from that, and go to another touny.[NY]

Some suggestions.

Youth Associations need to keep track of and rank all their players each year by hockey class (July 10-June 30) and also birthyear. This year it's 97s for the High Performance 15 process. Remember, some 97s are no longer in youth hockey and are playing high school. But, I feel it's still the youth association responsibility to keep track of who they are and where they play. The District will ask the youth association to submit the names of the 97 players that are worthy. They may or may not connect with the high school coach and that's why the youth association should still keep track of the players. Some large Districts limit the number based on how many teams in the District and then by place of finish in the District standings. What that means, on occasion, is not all the best players get invites. The 3rd best player on the bottom team in the standings might be better than the 5th best player on the top team in the District. The #5 best player on the top team gets an invite but #3 best player on the bottom team, who may be a better player, does not. It’s not the end of the world. Keep working hard.

observer wrote:Some suggestions.

Youth Associations need to keep track of and rank all their players each year by hockey class (July 10-June 30) and also birthyear. This year it's 97s for the High Performance 15 process. Remember, some 97s are no longer in youth hockey and are playing high school. But, I feel it's still the youth association responsibility to keep track of who they are and where they play. The District will ask the youth association to submit the names of the 97 players that are worthy. They may or may not connect with the high school coach and that's why the youth association should still keep track of the players. Some large Districts limit the number based on how many teams in the District and then by place of finish in the District standings. What that means, on occasion, is not all the best players get invites. The 3rd best player on the bottom team in the standings might be better than the 5th best player on the top team in the District. The #5 best player on the top team gets an invite but #3 best player on the bottom team, who may be a better player, does not. It’s not the end of the world. Keep working hard.

That would seem to be a MAJOR kink when MN and USA Hockey are supposed to find the top players to represent.

Once again, MN Hockey is recommending us to pack up our kids and head to an Elite Association. Don't they get it?

AA

I just think it's funny to hear and see 1st year bantams make it. And some 2nd year players not going because there last name is wrong.
Or not part of the in group.
Cheese and crankers
All I know is it was great not having a kid on A's this year.

In District 16 each association is asked to nominate players with the proper birth year. all players are considered regardless of playing team (bantma A, bantam B - we have associations without an A teams), grade in school, 1st 2nd or 3rd year of bantams and high school kids are considered (HS coaches are asked).

If we do not get a response from an association/coach; they are contacted again.

We take about 40 kids to the tryouts and to my knowledge have not denied someone a try-out spot (remember we are a small district).

IT IS NOT a money maker for our District.

It's not just Bantam A in some districts. Some BNB1's are invited to try out. They get many right, but it's also very political /based on resume rather than the tryout itself. IMHO the tryout is mostly a formality.

Does this stir the pot in most groups.

HS players have to join USA hockey to participate.

So find people in your ownassc, to rank your kids, and then lobby for them at the district level. That makes sense. Good idea!!!!!

We'll wait for the WOLFPACK call.
Who ends up coaching it?
Is it a local guy or from USA hockey.

Rank, schmank.......
The invitees and the ultimate district team are chosen by the district guys. They know all these kids(and their dads) from way back when they were squirts. Most the kids chosen are worthy, and just like all things association, a few deserving are missed or overlooked due to factors beyond their control (politics)

HOCKEYDRIVER wrote:We'll wait for the WOLFPACK call.
Who ends up coaching it?
Is it a local guy or from USA hockey.

Heres how it works
http://www.minnesotahockey.org/page/sho ... ormance-15

How many kids get the invite?
Do they only have 4 teams.

So find people in your own assc, to rank your kids, and then lobby for them at the district level. That makes sense. Good idea!!!!!

Of course coaches should rank all players at the end of each season. It can be used to break the bubble in tryouts next. The idea is to send the best 3-4 97 players from your association and without rankings to point to you're exposing the hockey development committee to criticism.

Do they only have 4 teams.

Each District has a team for the first stage.

That would seem to be a MAJOR kink when MN and USA Hockey are supposed to find the top players to represent.

Most of the top ones will be there but as always the bubble is a bitch.

Most players are before July 1 birthdays as they've usually played at a higher level than the after July 1s.

Great..... another situation where butt kissing weasels lobby to get their kids opportunity over better skilled kids.

Where is the process of the best, hardest working players being recognized for nothing more then their talent and attitude? What is so hard about a fair process based on a fair tryout that searches for the best players?

outoftowner-it's called the NAHL.

Outoftowner wrote:Great..... another situation where butt kissing weasels lobby to get their kids opportunity over better skilled kids.

Where is the process of the best, hardest working players being recognized for nothing more then their talent and attitude? What is so hard about a fair process based on a fair tryout that searches for the best players?

The only people claiming this process isn't "fair" are most likely parents of kids who were not invited. Is the process perfect? No, no process will ever be perfect. But anyone who has spent any time watching the Select 15s in action knows that the best players are usually there.. I don't believe that I've ever seen a elite-level player who has not been invited to tryout for a 15 team.

Great..... another situation where butt kissing weasels lobby to get their kids opportunity over better skilled kids.

Whoa. They do play in a tournament and the best players move on. Then they play in another tournament and the best players move on again. If selected by his coach for one of the slots he's allowed to fill Junior will get opportunities to shine but it's a tryout.

Work hard to get off the bubble.

muckandgrind wrote:

Outoftowner wrote:Great..... another situation where butt kissing weasels lobby to get their kids opportunity over better skilled kids.

Where is the process of the best, hardest working players being recognized for nothing more then their talent and attitude? What is so hard about a fair process based on a fair tryout that searches for the best players?

The only people claiming this process isn't "fair" are most likely parents of kids who were not invited. Is the process perfect? No, no process will ever be perfect. But anyone who has spent any time watching the Select 15s in action knows that the best players are usually there.. I don't believe that I've ever seen a elite-level player who has not been invited to tryout for a 15 team.

There must be plenty if it goes by number of invites by where you sit in the standings....

Take a look at last year for example, 1 or 2 top end players get cut from select 15`s. USA hockey gives them an open invite to New York, they have a good camp and one of those kids gets invited to play on team USA that went to Helsinki this year. That`s kind of a slap in the face to the MN select 15`s evaluators. So you tell me if its a fair process.

Well at least there is a tryout.

2112 wrote:Take a look at last year for example, 1 or 2 top end players get cut from select 15`s. USA hockey gives them an open invite to New York, they have a good camp and one of those kids gets invited to play on team USA that went to Helsinki this year. That`s kind of a slap in the face to the MN select 15`s evaluators. So you tell me if its a fair process.

So, if the kid ultimately got invited to Helsinki, maybe the MN evaluators got it wrong. The other kid with the famous last name - now that's a different strory.

old goalie85 wrote:outoftowner-it's called the NAHL.

Politics and Perception can be at any level. NAHL is a business. Business's needs Money, this is created by Ticket Sales and Sponsorship. At this level it can be very mischievous.